Support for sleeping car berth or the like



July l0, 1951 J. c. LYON SUPPORT FOR SLEEPING CAR BERTI-I OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. l2, 1946 mi? d wzl ATToRNEY Patented July l0, 195i SUPPORT FOR SLEEPING CAR BERTH OR THE LIKE John C. Lyon, Upper Darby, Pa., assignor to The Budd Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August l2, 1946, Serial No. 689,915

9 Claims.

The invention relates to a supportl means and more particularly to such means adapted to securely support in place a folding bed or berth, such as are usually used on railway sleeping cars or the like.

In railway sleeping cars having upper and lower beds or berths, the upper bed is usually arranged to be readily movable between a stowed position folded against a wall of the car and a horizontal use position, in both of which positions it is desirably securely locked.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved means for supporting and locking such a bed or other similarly foldable member in use position, to provide simple and readily fabricated such means, and to provide such means which securely locks the bed in position and yet can be readily operated to so securely lock the bed in position or to release the bed to permit folding it in the stowed position.

To these ends, the invention contemplates the use of a simple tension and compression strut extending between the bed member and a fixed anchorage member on the car, which strut may be permanently attached to one of said members. as the bed, by a pivotal connection which permits folding it against the bed and to the other of said members, as a xed car wall member, by a readily detachable or attachable connection which acts to securely lock the strut to the other of said members, and is provided with locking means to prevent its accidental release.

These and other and further objects and advantages and the manner in which they are attained will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

' Figure 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through a bedroom of a sleeping car, showing the invention applied to the upper bed or berth, the showing being'more or less diagrammatic;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of a preferred form of strut, on an enlarged scale, with parts broken away and shown in section, the strut being shown locked in place between the members which it connects;

Figure 3 is a similar view taken substantially at right angles to Figure 2 and along the line 3-3 of Figure 2; l

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figures 5 and 6 are views generally similar to Figures 2 and 3, respectively, showing a slightly modified form of the invention, Figure 6 taken along the line 6 6 of Figure 5; and

Figure '7 is a detail sectional view taken substantially along the line 'I--l of Figure 5.

According to the specific embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the improved strut is designated generally by reference numeral I0 and is shown applied to the support of one end of an upper berth or bed I I hinged to swing about a horizontal axis I2 adjacent one transverse wall I3 of a bedroom, generally designated B. The bed II would be folded up against the wall I3 in stowed position, but is represented in horizontal use position supported by struts I0 from the roof being or ceiling structure, designated generally by R.'

It will be understood that two struts I0, one at each end of the bed, would normally be provided, but since the struts are substantially similar, only one will be described in detail.

In the drawings the strut is shown permanently associated with the bed through a pivotal connection at I4, and is shown detachably associated with a fixed anchorage member connected to a wall, as the roof R of the car, but it will be understood .that this arrangement might in some nstallations be reversed; -.'I,he"disclosed arrangement is preferred in the present installation because it removes the struts from sight after they are folded about their pivotal connections I4 lengthwise of the bed and the bed is swung to its vertical stowed position against wall I 3.

The detachable connection may comprise an anchor socket I5 secured, as by bolts IB, to a flanged channel member II flxedly secured to the roof structure, this socket being traversed centrally by an anchor bar or pin IB rigidly secured in place.

To facilitate the attachment of the strut I0 to the anchor socket and bar, the strut is preferably formed of a main tubular body portion, or strut proper I9, and an end fitting portion 20 which is pivoted to the bed I I at I4 and has a long screwthreaded engagement with a reinforcing ferrule 2| rigidly secured in the adjacent end of the tubular portion I9. This screw-threaded connection permits relative rotation between the tubular portion I9 and fitting 20, but such rotation is preferably limited to about by a pin 22 threaded into a hole in the tting 20 and having its outer end projecting into a slot 23 in the tubular portion I9 and reinforcing ferrule 2|. The screw-threaded engagement affords ample interengagement between the tubular portion I9 of the strut and the fitting` 20 to take the tension and compression loads on the strut, and the pin 22 is not required to carry any of these loads. As shown, this is accomplished by making the slot 23 oi' suilicient width to avoid engagement ofthe pin with its sides when the tubular portion is rotated to cause the pin 22 to travel from one end, shown in Figures 2 and 3, to the other end of the slot 23.

The opposite or upper end of the tubular portion of'the strut is provided with means whereby it may be interlocked with the anchor socket I5 and bar I8 by rotating the tubular portion through the approximately 90 permitted by the pin and slot connection 22, 23.

At this end the tubular portion is also reinforced by a ferrule 24 tting inside said portion, extending inward some distance and rigidly secured in `place. This reinforced end of the tubular portion is formed with a slot 25 extending diametrically across the tubular portion, this slot opening to the end of said tubular portion and extending inwardly from said open end helically to its inner end, -which is substantially at right angles to the axis of the strut. This slot is of a width to receive the anchor bar or pin I8, and after the bar has entered `the slot, upward movement of the berth and strut causes, through the cam action of the helical slot, the strut portion I9 to turn through approximately 90 to bring the anchor bar to the inner transverse locking portion of the slot. This rotary movement may be assisted manually, if desired, by grasping the roughened or knurled outer surface 26 of thetubular portion i9 and manually turning it.

The parts are now in the position indicated in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, and it is desirable ior safety that the parts be positively locked in this position until such time as it is desired to raise the bed.

Such positive lock is provided, according to this form of the invention, by a spring-actuated plunger 21 non-rotatably mounted in the reinforced end of the tubular portion I9 through a pin or rivet 28 and slot 29. A spring 30, housed within the plunger, tends to move it outwardly to locking position. At its outer end the plunger is formed with a. slot 3| which receives the anchor bar I8, see Figure 3, between its sides to a depth insuring that the parts cannot turn with respect to each other until the plunger is withdrawn against the action of its spring 30. Such withdrawal may be manually effected by grasping a lateral projection 32 secured to the inner endof the plunger 21 and passing through a slot 33 in the tubular portion I9. After such withdrawal has been eiected, the portion I9 is grasped by the hand of the operator and rotated to allow the disengagement oi the anchor bar from the slot 25.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the device is positive in its action and can readily be actuated to lock and unlock the strut from the fixed member of the car. When locked in place, the strut can resist the necessary compression and tension loads without deflection thereof and without danger of accidental release of the locking means. Such locking means can, however, be readily released at the will of the operator.

The form of the invention shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7 is substantially similar to that already described in detail, and corresponding parts are designated by corresponding reference numerals.

The only distinction is in the form of the positive lock for securing the anchos socket I5, bar i 8, and the strut portion I9 in their interlocking engagement.

According to this form, such means may consist of a simple leaf spring 34 secured at one end, as by screws 35, to the tubular portion I9, and having a locking stud 36 secured adjacent its free end, this locking stud being forced by the tension of the spring 34 into aligned holes 31 and 3l in the tubular member and the fitting, respectively. These holes are brought into alignment automatically when the tubular strut part is rotated to its interlocking position with the anchor pin I8, as shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7. The free end of the spring may have a raised tab 39 spaced from the outer face of the tubular portion, which tab may be grasped by the finger tips or otherwise and raised to flex the spring 34 to the dotted-line position shown in Figure 5, after which the parts can be relatively rotated to disengage the strut from the anchor socket I5 and bar I8. It will be seen from the foregoing that the locking is automatically effected, as in the first form, by the rotation of the strut portion I9 to its interlocking position with respect to the anchor bar. When the strut portion I9 is rotated to bring the hole 31 therein out of alignment with the hole 38 in the tting 20, and the spring 34 is released, the parts are yieldingly held in their relative rotary positions by the spring-pressed frictional engagement between the inner end of the stud 36 and the tting 20. Thus when the strut portion I9 is rotated to its position in which the outer end oi' the slot 25 is aligned with the anchor bar I8, it is yieldingly held in this rotary position, so that it is in position to be engaged with the anchor pin by simple relative en dwise movement, as already described in connection with the form shown in Figures 2 to 4.

The form of lock shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7 may be more readily accessible from the oor of the car, especially if the operator is a short person, than the form shown in Figures 2. 3 and 4, and it is also somewhat simpler than the firstdescribed form. It will be seen that, in 'both forms, the str'ut can be readily disengaged by one hand of the operator while the other hand is steadying the bed or berth.

While the invention has been herein described in connection with a specic embodiment, it will be understood that certain features thereof are of wider application andv that changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the main features thereof, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such further applications and changes.

What isclaimed is:

1. An article of manufacture comprising a strut adapted toresist both compression and tension loads and designed to extend between ilxed and movable members to secure the latter against and a fitting screw-threadedly engaging one end "co movement, said strut comprising a main body thereof and having means for hingedly connecting the strut to one of said members, said screwthreaded engagement permitting relative rotary.

'movement with respect to the fitting when the strut is interlocked with the other of said members.

2. In a sleeping car or the like, a xed member, a hinged bed member movable between a stowed position and a horizontal use position, and a strut adapted to resist both compression and tension loads' and arranged to extend between said bed member in its use position and said fixed member to secure the bed member in its use position, said strut having a hinged connection between one end thereof and one of said members, the opposite end of said strut being readily releasably connected to the other of said members, said releasable connection comprising a socket on the other of said members adapted to receive therein the associated strut end, said socket having a bar extending across it and a locking slot for cooperation with said bar arranged on said associated strut end, said strut having a connection between parts thereof permitting relative rotation of the parts whereby at least said opposite end of the strut is rotatable to bring said locking slot into or out of operative engagement with said bar, andreadily releasable means for positively locking said opposite strut end against rotation when the locking slot and barare in locking engagement.

3. In a sleeping car or the like, a fixed member, a bed member movable between a stowed position and a horizontal use position, and a strut adapted to resist'both compression and tension loads and arranged to extend between said bed member in its use position and said xed member to secure the bed member in said use position, said strut having a hinged connection between one end thereof and one of said members, and having means connecting its opposite end portion rotatably with respect to the hinged end portion, said opposite end portion having means to interlock upon such rotary movement thereof with respect to the hinged end, with the other of said members, and readily releasable means for positively locking said opposite end portion against rotary movement when in the interlocking engagement with said member, said means comprising a spring-pressed plunger non-rotatably mounted on the rotatable end of the strut and adapted to engage said member so as to lock the rotatable end of the strut against rotation.

4. In a sleeping car or the like, a xed member, a bed member movable between a stowed position and a horizontal use position, .and a strut adapted to resist both compression and tension loads andarranged to extend between said bed member in its use position and said fixed member to secure the bed member in its use position, said strut comprising a tubular main body portion having means rotarily connecting it at one end with a iitting which is hingedly secured to one of said members, the opposite end of said tubular portion being releasably connected to the other of said members, said releasable connection comprising a socket having a bar extending across it arranged on the other of said members and a locking slot for cooperation with said bar on said opposite end of the tubular portion, said tubular portion, by reason of its rotary connection with the tting, being rotatable to bring said locking slot into or out of operative engagement with Said bar, and readily releasable means for positively locking the tubular portion against rotation when its locking slot is in locking engagement with said bar, said means comprising a locking plunger slidably but non-rotatably mounted in said tubular portion, and having an end conformation arranged t cooperate with said bar to prevent rotation of the plunger and tubular portion when the plunger is in its operative position, spring means for moving the plunger to its operative position, and means projecting outside the tubular portion for manually withdrawing the plunger against the action of said spring means.

5. Ina sleeping car or the like, an anchoring member, a bed member movable between a stowed position and a horizontal use position, and a strut adaptedto resist both compression and tension loads and arranged to extend between said bed member in its use position and said anchoring member to secure'the bed member in its use position, said strut comprising two parts having a connection permitting relative rotation of the parts with respect to each other through about one part having a hinged connection to one of said members, and the other part having means providing an interlock with the other of said members upon relative rotation with respect to said one part, and readily releasable means for positively locking the parts against relative rotary movement when said other part is interlocked with the other of said members, said readily releasable means being biased to automatically effect said positive locking when said other pari'l in its rotation relative to said one part reaches its interlocking position with the other of said members.

6. In a sleeping car or the like, an anchoring member, a bed member movable-between a stowed position and a horizontal use position, and a strut adapted to resist both'compression and tension loads and arranged to extend between said bed member in one position thereof and said anchoring member to secure the bed member in said one position, said strut comprising two parts screwthreadedly engaging each other and relatively rotatable through said threaded engagement to a limited extent, one of said parts having a hinged connection to one of said members and the other of said parts having means providing an interlock with the other of said members upon relative rotation with respect to said one part, and means biased to automatically positively lock said parts against relative rotation when the other of said parts is moved to interlocking engagement, said biased means frictionally opposing such relative rotation when the strut is in inoperative position.

7. An article of manufacture comprising a strut adapted to resist both compression and tension loads and designed to extend between xed and movable members to secure the latter against movement, said strut comprising a main body and a itting rotatably engaging one end thereof and having means for hingedly connecting the strut to one of said members, said rotatable engagement permitting relative rotary movement between the main body and said tting, means for limiting such relative rotary movement, the opposite end of said strut being provided with means for interlocking it with the other of said members upon rotary movement of the main body, and readily releasable means for locking the main body of the strut against rotary movement with respect to the fitting when the strut is interlocked with the other of said members.

8. In a sleeping car or the like, a fixed member, a hinged member movable between a stowed position and a use position, and a strut adapted to resist both compression and tension loads and arranged to extend between said fixed member and saidhinged member in one of the stowed or use positions of the latter to secure it in said position, said strut having a hinged connection between one end thereof and one of said members, the opposite end of said strut being readily releasably connected to the other of said members,

on the other of said members adapted to receive therein the associated strut end, said socket having a bar extending across it and a locking slot for cooperation with said bar arrangedl on said associated strut end, said strut having a connection between parts thereof permitting relative rotation of the parts whereby at least said opposite end of the strut is rotatable to bring said locking siot into or out of operative engagement with said bar, and readily releasable means for positively locking said opposite strut end against rotation when the locking slot and bar are in locking engagement.

9. In a sleeping car or the like, a fixed member, a movable member movable between a stowed position and a use position, and a strut adapted to resist both compression and tension loads and arranged to extend between said xed member and said movable member to secure the latter in one of said positions, said strut having a hinged connection between one end thereof and one of said members, andhaving means connecting its opposite end portion rotatably with respect to the hinged end portion, said opposite end portion 25 having means to interlock, upon such rotary,

movement thereof with respect to the hinged end, with the other o! said members, and readily releasable means for positively locking said oppo- 5 site end portion against rotary movement when in the interlocking engagement with said member.

JOHN C..LYON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le o! this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 15 Number Name Date 109,119 Du Bois Nov. 8, 1870 149,728 Diehl et al. Apr. 14, 1874 383,360 Kiefer May 22, 1888 1,359,637 Travis et ai Nov. 23, 1920 20 2,250,193 Emery et al July 22, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 287,648 Great Britain Mar. 29, 1928 

